County attorney charges doctor with 27 offenses

By LYNNDA JOHNSONSun Advocate editor

The Carbon County Attorney's Office has charged a doctor operating a medical practice in Price with unlawfully distributing a schedule one or schedule two narcotic, unlawful possession/use of a controlled substance and insurance fraud.

On May 9, local state prosecutor filed five formal criminal complaints in the 7th District Court charging the defendant, 40-year-old defendant, Randall Matthew Relyea, with 14 separate felony level counts and 13 additional misdemeanor category charges.

The county attorney's office indicated that all 27 charges stem from evidence collected during an ongoing investigation conducted into Relyea's alleged criminal activities by the Carbon Metro Drug Task Force.

Along with filing the criminal informations in the district court, prosecutor Gene Strate issued a summons directing the defendant to appear in court before Judge George M. Harmond on June 4 to answer the offenses contained in the five complaints.

The first criminal case filed against Relyea contains two counts, one first degree felony level distributing/arranging the distribution of a controlled substance charge and one class B misdemeanor category insurance fraud offense.

The complaint contends that, on or about Feb. 8, 2007, the defendant distributed or agreed, offered or arranged to distribute a schedule one or schedule two narcotic within 1,000 feet of a public school, park, church or shopping mall - a first degree felony offense.

Schedule one and schedule two narcotics are prescribed medications.

The criminal information maintains that Relyea committed the class B misdemeanor count by accepting proceeds valued at less than $300 derived from a fraudulent insurance act on the same date.

The second formal criminal case filed by the county attorney's office accuses Relyea of unlawfully possessing or using a controlled substance on July 7, 2006 - a third degree felony level charge.

The complaint identifies the controlled substance in question as Percocet, a prescribed pain medication.

The third criminal information filed against the defendant contains two first degree felony distributing/arranging the distribution of a controlled substance counts and two class B misdemeanor insurance fraud charges.

The complaint contends that Relyea committed the first degree felony level offenses by distributing or agreeing, consenting, offering or arranging to distribute a schedule one or schedule two narcotic within 1,000 feet of a public school, park, church or shopping mall on or about Feb. 20 and Feb. 23, 2007.

In connection with the class B misdemeanor category counts, the court document maintains that the defendant accepted proceeds valued at $300 derived from fraudulent insurance acts on two occasions during the three-day period in question.

The fourth formal complaint accuses Relyea of committing six first degree felony distributing/arranging the distribution of a controlled substance charges and six insurance fraud offenses from July 3 to July 25, 2006.

The first degree felony level distribution/arranging the distribution of a controlled substance counts purportedly involved schedule one or schedule two narcotics and the class B misdemeanor category charges stemmed from the defendant's alleged acceptance of benefits valued at less than $300 derived from fraudulent insurance acts on six separate occasions during the time period in question.

The fifth criminal information charges the defendant with committing two first degree felony level distributing/arranging the distribution of schedule one or schedule two narcotics counts as well as two related class B misdemeanor category fraudulent insurance act offenses on or about Dec. 8 and Dec. 29, 2006.

The last formal case filed against Reylea contains two separate first degree felony distributing/arranging the distribution of a controlled substance charges along with two additional class B misdemeanor category insurance fraud offenses.

In connection with the first degree felony level counts, the criminal information contends that the defendant unlawfully distributed or agreed, consented, offered or arranged to distribute a schedule one or schedule two narcotic within 1,000 feet of a school, public park, church or shopping mall on April 27, 2005 and Feb. 2, 2006.

With regard to the class B misdemeanor offenses, the complaint accuses the doctor of reportedly accepting proceeds valued at less than $300 derived from fraudulent insurance acts on the two dates in question.

On March 14, Carbon Drug Task Force representatives arrested and booked Relyea into the county jail on drug-related charges. The Carbon County Sheriff's Office released the defendant from official custody on March 15 after the subject posted $15,000 in bondable bail.

After law enforcement authorities arrested and booked the suspect into jail, the Carbon County Sheriff's Office indicated that Relyea operates a medical practice in Price, but the defendant apparently resides in Springville. In addition, the sheriff's department confirmed that the state's professional licensing division was conducting and investigating allegations involving Relyea.